Questions Not Yet Asked
by inelegantprose
Summary: Leia finds herself stuttering and blushing in front of an attractive woman at a reception, and Han asks her a question she's never been asked before. Han/Leia. Short, sweet, queer.


_Just some silly and sweet married Han/Leia antics. Pretty rushed, very light. I've noticed there's not a ton of work about queer women in this fandom and wanted to get some out there while keeping to my beloved OTP. Fellow queer women in the SW fandom – I see you & I love you!_

Questions Not Yet Asked

Though she was forever defending their importance to her husband, the truth was that Leia hated this sort of political "events." Speeches, rallies, and roundtables she excelled at, even enjoyed. Cocktail parties where she was expected to _mingle,_ not so much. Her parents had taught her everything she knew about what it meant to be a public servant: how to listen with concern, how to identify mitigating factors, how to navigate cultural difference. Apparently they'd never seen fit, however, to teach her how to blithely make conversation with total strangers while holding a drink and wearing a dress. (They definitely hadn't included how to do this while also keeping track of a sleepy toddler.)

Which was why Leia was so elated when she spotted one of the few other young women she'd seen in the audience during her speech lounging by the bar. Tall, trim, and wearing an impeccably tailored charcoal suit, she drew Leia's attention immediately – how she _wished_ she could stand with such _confidence_ at this reception, surrounded by haughty middle-aged male politicians and their smartass younger counterparts. She looked cool and comfortable in her formal wear, the sleeves of her smart blazer rolled up to her elbows, her slick black shoes shining, her scoop-neck olive blouse fitted and flattering. _She_ was wearing uncomfortable high heels and a blue gown she disliked for probably the fortieth time, the constant travel limiting her options. The dress was too form-fitting and exposed too much for Leia's taste, even though it was considerably less revealing than contemporary trends dictated.

 _Who is the woman wearing_ pants, Leia thought enviously, _and how can I_ become _her?_

So she'd mustered her courage and scooped up Ben – Han must've slipped into the dense group of suits, she couldn't see him – and headed to join her. The woman, a local official named Roana Mowty, had been shockingly easy to talk to, even if her confidence made Leia's head spin slightly. It wasn't that Leia wasn't confident, or felt she was shy. Quite the opposite – she was often told that she was _over_ confident. It was something about the way this woman carried herself that felt strikingly different. Leia was always a master of poise, grace, polish, and _effort_. Roana seemed to be effortlessly easy-going and friendly; it was like she wasn't even trying. Even her _stance_ oozed comfortableness in herself – the way she leaned against the bar like it was hers, how she didn't shirk from her full height the way many tall women she knew did. _How can I be you?_ Leia thought breathlessly. _How can I crawl inside your skin?_

It had been an impossibly long time since Leia had spent time with another woman about her age. She and Han were stationed here for about eight months, same as her last project, and she'd gone through that time mostly keeping to herself. If she could just stop being so incredibly _awkward_ , maybe there was a chance she'd – well, it sounded so childish to say "make a friend," but...

"Here's that refill," Roana said, handing Leia back her wine glass with a smile. "Cute kid," she added, nodding in Ben's direction.

She took the glass, looking at the other woman's impeccably shaped short fingernails with envy as she did so – why didn't _she_ ever spend time on things like that? Hers were bitten and red. " _Thank_ you. He's _quite_ the handful." Her voice came out wrong though – too high, the way it went when she was nervous.

"Yeah, I can only imagine at a time like this." She bent slightly to address Ben, who was currently sucking on his fingers and peering out curiously from his practically permanent spot on Leia's hip. Roana grinned and stuck out her hand seriously. "Good to meet you – it's Ben, isn't it?"

"Yes," Leia said, her voice doing that soprano thing again – and was she blushing? _Where did_ that _come from?_ Of course Roana knew her son's name, didn't everyone, there was nothing unusual there. She shook herself out of her thoughts. "Ben, 'loved, what do we say?"

Ben pressed his face to her neck, but murmured, "Nice mee' you, ma'am..."

"No shake?" Roana teased.

Ben took his fingers out of his mouth and, to Leia's horror, shook Roana's hand (well, fingers) with his sticky grip.

"Spit shake," the other woman said good-naturedly, casually wiping her palm on her trousers. "You mean serious business. I like it."

"I'm _so_ sorry," Leia murmured, turning redder still. "Ben, 'loved, I know you know better." Ben pressed his face against her neck. "Oh, I think he's just getting sleepy. I wish I could say it's late for him, but..."

Ben mumbled something into her neck, yawning.

"What's that, darling?" Leia asked, flashing the other woman an apologetic smile.

Ben peeled his face away from her neck and frowned at Roana. "Why your hair," he said again, reaching out, brow furrowed.

"You like her hair?" Leia guessed.

" _Short._ "

"It is short," Leia agreed amicably.

" _Girl._ "

Roana laughed out loud, surprised, and Leia surprised herself by laughing too. "Oh, don't be so old-fashioned, Ben," she teased. "Girls can have short hair. Your hair's long, and you're a boy."

Ben frowned, as if contemplating. He looked up at her seriously. "Pretty," he said decisively.

"It is pretty," Leia agreed as he pressed his face back to her, giving him a squeeze. And it was – bright blonde, almost white, and stylishly cut very short indeed. Leia sighed – she'd often wondered what life would be like to be without her long, heavy hair, which sometimes felt like it was weighing her down. What it would be like to jump on the back of a speeder and run her hands deftly through a crew cut, feel the wind on her neck...

"Thank you," Roana said grandly, chuckling. "And I like his braids. They're cute. Like mother like son?"

Leia smiled. "He won't let me cut it, so I make do. The braids are – traditional, on Alderaan. For unmarried women, at least."

"But neither of you are either of those things," she teased.

"No-o, I suppose we're not... well, we make our own traditions." There it was again, that flushed smile – _Leia,_ she groaned internally, _get ahold of yourself!_

Roana grinned back at her. "I've been to Alderaan, actually, a couple of times. Sort of the mecca, for me – I don't know if you heard, during all the introductions – I do community organizing, specifically around law enforcement? Alderaan was the best of the best. Learned from some good men over there. And some good women..."

 _I've been to Alderaan…_ nowadays people were always saying that _had_ been. She smiled, caught up in the warm glow the phrase put in her belly. "I was sort of caught up in this one's attempts to rush the stage – but oh, so – I thought they said you were a pilot?"

Roana laughed again. "Making assumptions, are you?"

Leia turned bright red, remembering with horror the ubiquitous stereotype about the few female pilots in the Alliance – _they fly the other way, if y'know what I mean..._ "Oh! No! I didn't mean – I genuinely thought I heard––"

The other woman was grinning, clearly entertained. "Hey, I'm flattered – I fly some," _did she_ wink _?_ "but for the most part I like to be on the ground, workin' with people, making things happen."

"Me too," Leia confessed breathlessly, her question dismissed with pleasure at her new friend's shared passion. "My – husband and I, we move all the time, because of my work – but I guess I always figured to do the most good for the most people, you need to be in the most places."

"Hmm, don't know if I think that's true."

"Do tell?" She sipped her wine some more, enjoying the glow it left on her cheeks, in her chest.

"I think being there for a community, you know, doing that long, hard, continuous work – it's how you make a _real_ difference, which is what I'm after. As opposed to just jumping in at flashpoints – and I mean that with as much respect as possible, we are reallygrateful for your assistance here, Your Highness––"

"Oh, Leia will do," she said, waving her hand and leaning in eagerly. Her thoughts were racing: _like she took the words right out of my mind, but made them sound simple, easily understood, commonplace – I need to learn how to do that, she makes it all sound so easy, I wish I could talk like her, or talk to her for the whole night..._ "And that's an interesting thought. I suppose it depends on your definition of _most_ good––"

Roana was nodding, smiling down at her. Her eyes were bright blue, inquisitive, eager. "Right, like are you trying to spread a bare minimum of basic need across the largest possible population, or are you trying to make a real way of life for a specific group? The answer has to be balance, but y'know, that's all well and good but – _what_ balance?"

Leia nodded eagerly too, beaming in spite of herself. _When was the last time I spoke to another person my age about what I care about? Another_ woman _? Gods, I forgot that it feels so good…_ "Of course, because that's exactly how the Empire justified its structuring and delegation of resources – we're making the best life possible for the most deserving population, which just so _happens_ to be male humans with political connections in Core Worlds."

"Yep, exactly…" Roana seemed to be glancing slightly over Leia's head now, but Leia was used to that, being so short.

"It's _so_ rare to find people to talk when I'm traveling," she said shyly. _Come on, Leia, don't be a fool – why are you acting so nervous_? "I'd love to hash this out some more – maybe we could get dinner?"

The other woman looked genuinely surprised, her eyebrows flying up, but she did a decent job of covering it. Leia felt herself wilting – had she come on too strong? "Uh – that would be great," the other woman was saying slowly. "Yeah, I'll comm you?"

"Or not! I just – I don't know, these stations can just can get a bit lonely, in my experience," she stammered out, flushing brightly. _Worse, worse! So much worse! End this, Leia! What are you_ doing _?!_

Roana nodded slowly, smiling a little. "No, I'd – I'd love that. Of course. Hey, I think your––"

Suddenly, Leia felt Han's arms around her waist. "Oh! Hi, dear!" She gave Roana a what-can-you-do smile as Han relaxed his grasp. "Hi – here, can you take him?" she asked, kissing him quickly.

"Yup." Han scooped Ben off her hip effortlessly. "Been looking for you all night, sweetheart."

"Sorry," Roana said, "didn't mean to monopolize the princess. Roana Mowty. I'm local." She stuck out her hand, and Han appeared to size her up before shaking it firmly.

"Han Solo. I'm not," he said, and his expression was the strangest thing – a little smile, like he was in on a private joke. "Well, sorry to interrupt."

"You're good," Roana said easily, and Han raised his eyebrows just the tiniest bit.

"Was thinking on heading out, princess, since this one's clearly beat?" he said to Leia slowly. "You okay if we leave now?"

"Yes, that's fine," Leia said, grateful to escape her own awkwardness.

His eyes were twinkling a tad – what _was_ it with him? "You sure? 'Cause we can stay longer if you're not – finished yet."

"We should get him in bed," she said, trying to sound decisive. She placed her wine glass on the bar and looked at the other woman again.

"Good to meet you," Han said to Roana, taking Leia's hand.

"And you."

"I'll comm you?" Leia added, too quickly. _Idiot, idiot, why are you such a moron? This is why you don't have any friends!_

Roana just smiled lightly. "Please do. Good talking to you, Your Highness. Have a lovely evening."

They weren't ten steps out of the reception hall when Han turned to her and said it, eyes dancing. "I can't believe I thought this whole time that you only had one type of flirtin' in you arsenal: arguing. And here it out you have a _whole other_ setting!"

Leia blushed crimson for what must have been the fiftieth time that night. "Han! What are you talking about?" she hissed.

"Y'know, 'cause apparently you've also got blushing… and stuttering… and giggling…" he continued, grinning mischievously.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Leia insisted, her face still hot. "I was trying to make _friends_."

He snorted. "Well, that's certainly _one_ way to make friends."

"Han!"

"Gods, Leia, and you were leanin' in… had this doe-eyed look…how come you never look at _me_ that way?" he teased. "All cute an' innocent."

"Because I'm _not_ 'all cute and innocent.'"

"Dunno, you certainly put on a good show…"

" _Han!_ "

"I mean she was _definitely_ flirtin' back, don't get me wrong – not as _obviously_ , maybe, but she was, ah – how to phrase it? Hmm – picking up what you were putting down, I'd say." He winked at her.

Her face was actually burning, she was sure of it. "I don't even know if she – _flies that way_ ," Leia said, sniffing.

Han choked – "Um, she _definitely_ flies that way."

"Well, you shouldn't judge people based off of appearances," Leia retorted primly.

"Good, 'cause based off appearances just now I'd assume you uh – tend to veer that way a bit yourself, Your Worship," he said, elbowing her lightly. "Got a pilot's license I don't know about?"

"I cannot _believe_ you! We're _married!"_

"I know that, sweetheart."

"How would you like it if _I_ accused _you_ of flirting with other women?" Leia blustered. " _Or_ men?" she added hastily.

"But I don't flirt with other women," Han said easily, "or men, if you're askin'. But you've only been with one person, and you're young––"

"I'm twenty-seven!"

"You're _young_ , and I sort of get the sense no one's asked _you_."

Leia crossed her arms and frowned at him. "Asked me what?"

Han looked at her languidly, eyebrows raised a touch, and asked, his voice friendly and kind, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to say, "D'you like women, Leia?"

 _More? Probably not? Who knows? Anyway, this is probably canon with the Orbit 'verse._


End file.
